Poke the Bear

Boston Sports Journal’s Bruins reporter Conor Ryan offers up weekly thoughts, opinions and analysis on all things surrounding the Black and Gold in “Poke The Bear” — a new podcast centered on the Original Six club. Each week, Conor and a number of guests offer in-depth breakdowns on the latest news surrounding the B’s — and having plenty of fun along the way. So sit back, grab a libation (or Dunks, no one’s judging here) and let’s talk some hockey.

Audio

Poke the Bear

Boston.com’s Bruins reporter Conor Ryan offers up weekly thoughts, opinions and analysis on all things surrounding the Black and Gold in “Poke The Bear” — a new podcast centered on the Original Six club. Each week, Conor and a number of guests offer in-depth breakdowns on the latest news surrounding the B’s — and having plenty of fun along the way. So sit back, grab a libation (or Dunks, no one’s judging here) and let’s talk some hockey.

In this episode of Poke The Bear, Conor and Ty dig into one of the most important questions heading into the Bruins’ season — which players are set up to take a step forward, and which ones might be due for a reality check? They run through the regression candidates on Boston’s roster, the veterans who may have had career-best seasons that are tough to replicate, and why that matters for a team still trying to figure out its identity post-rebuild. On the flip side, they make the case for a handful of breakout candidates — younger players with something to prove and the opportunity to finally get consistent minutes. Whether you’re optimistic or skeptical about where this Bruins team is headed, this episode gives you a realistic lens to evaluate the roster before puck drop. Who goes up, who comes down, and what does it mean for Boston’s season?

0:00 – Intro
7:39 – State of the Bruins roster heading into next season
8:24 – Regression candidates: Elias Lindholm breakdown
14:46 – Regression candidates: Hampus Lindholm
19:11 – Defensive pairings & domino effect of Lindholm struggles
24:03 – PrizePicks
25:41 – Breakout candidates: Fraser Minten
28:56 – Breakout candidates: Matt Poitras & the young forward group
34:18 – European players & the culture-building advantage
37:37 – Outro

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